Message from Andrea Ades Vásquez HEO Chapter Chair, April 2017

…

Fighting for a Better CUNY and the Power of the PSC!

In the last round of contract bargaining, PSC members waged a political battle that spread across the nation and made CUNY and public higher education a part of the national conversation. At this moment of extreme political conservatism and attacks on unions, HEOs and all PSC members are continuing the fight for the power and growth of our union and for a better CUNY. An institution founded on the principle of access to quality public higher education for all, CUNY is being threatened politically and budgetarily. Our union, which has fought for decades to preserve CUNY’s democratic mission and to increase the rights and benefits of CUNY employees, is also under attack. The PSC has never sat motionless and we will not now. The HEO chapter has grown larger, and more active, powerful and committed than ever. HEOs have stepped up and we now have 34 delegates and alternates and 82 HEO Labor Management Committee members across every campus.

Every contract agreement has required extended, difficult negotiations and the active involvement of the membership and we can take pride in what we have gained. Past HEO chapter chairs Jean Weisman and Iris DeLutro (current vice president for cross-campus units) consistently fought for HEOs to have a voice in the union and for our rights at the bargaining table. In the last four contracts, we won salary increases, more funding for benefits, the HEO/CLT Professional Development Fund, a more expansive reclassification system, two new salary differentials, paid parental leave, and phased retirement. We also won a victory on overtime pay and compensatory time, and we fought back against management’s efforts to undermine HEO job security and break our pay parity for most HEO titles with full time faculty.

HEOs work across CUNY around issues and concerns that extend beyond salary and benefit improvements. Alongside our PSC colleagues and CUNY student and alumni supporters we fight to improve the health and safety of our workplaces, support the struggle around the pay and work lives of adjunct faculty, and to provide staff and faculty with more time and resources to benefit students. Because of our close ties to students, we understand that our benefits, decent salaries, and working conditions are a part of what enables students to receive the quality education they deserve.

This handbook is meant to both inform and inspire. While there is much left to do, we should also be proud of what we have accomplished. Attend a HEO meeting, join a campaign or committee, do PSC legislative work, run for office! Now is the time to find a way to be a part of the life and power of your union.

Contents |

1. Introduction .…………………………………………………………..……………………. 3 a. HEOs and the Contract

b. Being a Member of the PSC c. Chapter Structure and Ways to Get Involved d. Delegates e. HEO Grievance Counselors

2. Job Descriptions ….…………………………………………………………………...…… 5

3. Appointments, Reappointments, “13.3b” and Substitutes …..……………. 5

4. Annual Evaluations ….……………………………………………………………….…… 6

5. Personnel Files ………………………….…………………………………………….…… 7

6. Work Week, Workload, Overtime and Compensatory Time …………..…. 8

7. Annual Leaves, Holidays, Sick and Other Leaves ……....……………………. 9

8. Complaints and Grievances Initiated by an Employee …....................…. 11

9. Disciplinary Actions and Termination Initiated by the College …….……. 12

10. The “Non-Promotional Series” — Movement within Title, Reclassification and Salary Differentials ………………………………………....….. 13

11. HEO Labor Management Committee ..…....………….……………………….. 15

12. Contractual and Other Rights and Benefits ...…………….…………………… 15

3

1. Introduction | a. HEOs and the Contract Our membership and ongoing commitment to the union gives us power in the workplace. We are stronger when we act in solidarity with our instructional staff colleagues, including full- and part-time faculty and CLTs. CUNY-wide, at 27,000 strong, we are the union, and CUNY management must negotiate the contract with all of us. The product of that negotiation, the PSC-CUNY Collective Bargaining Agreement, known as “the contract,” protects our rights on the job and spells out how we safeguard those rights. Our contract is most effective when every member knows it, uses it, and defends it. The PSC represents more than 4,300 members of the non- classroom instructional staff in the Higher Education Officer series across all schools and campuses of the City University of New York (CUNY). HEOs at all locations belong to one cross-campus chapter except for those in the Central Office who belong to a separate chapter. b. Being a Member of the PSC Every employee hired into a PSC-represented position is covered by the Contract. From your first paycheck, a fee equal to 1.05% of each paycheck is deducted; this is known as the “agency fee.” In order to become a union member, you must fill out a membership card authorizing that the 1.05% deduction will apply to union dues rather than agency fee. The agency fee and the dues are the same amount, but being a union member entitles you to vote for officers at all levels of the PSC, run for office yourself and vote to ratify contracts. Members also receive the PSC’s award-winning newspaper, Clarion, and a weekly e-newsletter for important union news. A large union membership signals the strength of the union and helps to make the PSC more effective at representing members’ needs and bargaining good contracts. It is important that you keep your personal and workplace contact information up to date. Use the “Update Membership” link on the PSC homepage: www.psc-cuny.org c. Chapter Structure and Ways to Get Involved The HEO Chapter holds chapter meetings at the PSC each semester. There may also be local HEO meetings on your campus. These meetings may feature presentations by

4

chapter and union leaders on current campaigns, local and state politics, rights and benefits and other topics. They provide members with an opportunity to speak to each other and their PSC representatives about issues of importance at the campus. The chapter has one delegate per every 100 members, alternate delegates, plus four CUNY-wide officers; currently we have 34 delegates. Delegates serve on behalf of HEOs at the union’s monthly Delegate Assemblies. The names of officers and delegates can be found here: http://psc-cuny.org/about-us/leadership - da There are many ways to be involved with your union including committees, such as the Legislative Committee, the Health and Safety Watchdogs, the Environmental Justice Committee and the International Committee. The PSC also sends elected representatives to conferences of our affiliated organizations including New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). These affiliations give us clout to participate in politics, a voice to shape policy, and provide our members with extra benefits (http://psc-cuny.org/benefits/nysut). d. Delegates The Delegate Assembly is the principal governing body of the union. It consists of delegates from each chapter and votes on policies, budgets, resolutions, endorsements and campaigns of the central union. Delegates are elected by members of their own chapters and are responsible for reporting back to their chapters. Delegate Responsibilities and Activities

� Attend monthly Delegate Assembly meetings to represent HEOs from your campus.

� Act as a liaison with the faculty chapter on campus. � Attend faculty chapter labor management meetings to discuss local issues,

including those pertinent to HEOs. � Find and introduce yourself to new HEO hires. Ask them to become PSC

members and offer them ways to get involved. � Attend HEO cross-campus chapter meetings. � Work with the HEO chapter and PSC organizers to hold local HEO meetings.

5

� Keep abreast of issues in your department, building and campus and organize campaigns with others. Report any issues you identify to the HEO leadership and the PSC Contract Administration Department.

� Attend PSC trainings on organizing and the contract. e. HEO Grievance Counselors If you have a question about your contractual rights or think your rights may have been violated, HEO grievance counselors are available to help you. But you do not have to have a grievance to speak with a HEO Grievance Counselor. They are available to assist you with workplace problems such as being given additional job duties, responding to a poor evaluation, having a problem getting paid overtime or accompanying you to an investigatory meeting. Find a grievance counselor at http://www.psc-cuny.org/about-us/house-grievance-counselors or call 212-354-1252.

2. Job Descriptions | The University’s Code of Practice Regarding Instructional Staff Titles provides a broad general description of the levels of responsibility and qualifications for each of the four HEO contractual titles. Go to: http://bit.ly/2p3NX8V, pp. 16-18. Each particular position a HEO occupies should have a functional job title and description. The job description is generally given to the HEO at the time of hiring or reclassification. If you have never received a job description for your position, you can request one from either your immediate supervisor or your college Human Resources Office.

3. Appointments, Reappointments, “13.3b” and Substitutes | The appointment year for all HEOs is from July 1 through June 30. The first-year appointment is followed by three annual reappointments. The fourth and fifth reappointments are each for two years. Upon reappointment at the start of the ninth year of service, the employee obtains a Certificate of Continuous Administrative Service (CCAS), a form of job security (Article 13.3b of the contract) and will no longer be subject to the reappointment process. However, at any point, management has the right to reassign work and/or relocate a HEO to another office with a new functional job description. They may not assign you work that is not commensurate with your

6

current HEO-series title and job description as stated in the CUNY Code of Practice Regarding Instructional Staff Titles http://bit.ly/2p3NX8V. Notices of reappointment or non-reappointment should be received on or before April 1 except if the initial appointment was on or after October 1 of the preceding year, in which case notice must be received on or before May 1 in the first year only. At any point in your employment, if you receive a letter of non-reappointment and you would like to fight for your job, you should contact a PSC HEO Grievance Counselor immediately because there are deadlines for filing a grievance. An employee who is non-reappointed after five years of continuous service is entitled to presidential reasons for the non-reappointment. After you have attained 13.3b, you may only be terminated if you have received three unsatisfactory annual evaluations over three fiscal years. If you have 13.3b and you take a new position at a different CUNY campus, you must successfully complete one year in order to be reappointed with your 13.3b. Substitute appointments are temporary full-time appointments and have no presumption of reappointment. Substitutes can serve for no more than two six-month periods out of any twenty-four months or to fill a position where a HEO is reclassified to a higher title for a period of up to two years (Article 13.10). An employee appointed as a substitute in a HEO title shall receive a maximum of two years service credit for the substitute period if he or she receives an appointment to a “certificate-bearing” (non-substitute) HEO position immediately following at the same college.

4. Annual Evaluations |

HEO-series employees are entitled to a formal evaluation preferably once a semester, but at least once each year by their assigned supervisor. At the conference, the employee’s total performance and professional development are reviewed. The supervisor must write a record of the discussion for inclusion in the employee’s personnel folder, and the employee must receive a copy within 10 working days. (Article 18.3b) You will be asked to sign the annual evaluation; signing does not connote that you are in agreement with its contents, only that you have received it, and it can be placed in your personnel file. If you refuse to sign, it will be so noted and placed in your file. HEOs have the right to respond to an annual evaluation, but should

7

consult with a HEO Grievance Counselor before submitting their response. If you have not had an evaluation and would like to schedule one, a HEO has the right to request one, but the request must be submitted no later than 10 working days after March 1. (Article 18.3d) HEOs may receive guidance about their work and professional performance at any time from their immediate supervisor. HEO-series employees who experience or anticipate difficulty with the evaluation process or who plan to request an evaluation are advised to consult a HEO Grievance Counselor at the union. A HEO-series employee who receives an unsatisfactory evaluation should contact a HEO Grievance Counselor.

5. Personnel Files | Each college is required to maintain two separate personnel files for every employee, an administrative file and a personal file. (Article 19) The administrative file contains only materials requested by the college or supplied by the employer in connection to the employee’s appointment or reappointment. The administrative file is not available for review by the employee. The personal personnel file contains all other personnel information, such as letters of commendation for outstanding work performance, professional evaluations, and other records generated by the college. HEO-series employees have the right to review their personal personnel files for accuracy and should do so at least once a year. No material can be placed in an employee’s file until the employee has been given the opportunity to read the contents and attach any comments. Employees may be asked to initial a document to show proof that they were provided an opportunity to read it before it was placed in the file. An employee who is asked to sign a document that may have negative consequences, e.g., a written reprimand or student complaint, or who discovers a document in the personnel file that he or she was not been given the opportunity to review, should contact a HEO Grievance Counselor in the union office.

8

6. Work Week, Workload, Overtime and Compensatory Time | Work Week and Workload: HEO-series employees are required to work 35 hours per week as assigned. “As assigned” means that management has the discretion to determine the work week and the workday within the 35-hour framework. HEOs may not be required to work an excessive number of hours or be assigned an unreasonable schedule (such as split hours within a single day). (Article 15.4) After the union successfully negotiated compensatory and overtime rights for the HEO titles, CUNY began to institute more standardized timekeeping procedures for professional staff. As an employer who provides overtime and in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, CUNY has the right to track the work time of its employees. As of April 2017, CUNY has instituted a uniform online timesheet for HEO-series titles at 12 colleges and is planning for University-wide digital timekeeping system in the coming years. The PSC has been in ongoing discussions with CUNY to ensure that electronic timesheet practices are consistent with the contract and other agreements. From the union’s perspective, timesheets provide a means to see that members are properly compensated for all hours worked. If HEOs have an issues regarding their assigned workload, they can be addressed by the HEO Labor Management Committee, (see sections 10 and 11 below). The University provides a Workload Form to be submitted to the college labor designee for forwarding to the HEO Labor Management Committee. It can be found at: http://bit.ly/2ocqT8X Overtime and Compensatory Time: According to CUNY’s interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, most Assistants to HEO and many HEO Assistants are considered “non-exempt” employees. Non-exempt employees are entitled to compensatory time for hours worked between 35 and 40 hours. After 40 hours of work in a week, non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay at time-and-a-half for each additional hour worked over 40. Full HEOs, most HEO Associates and some HEO Assistants are considered “exempt” employees and are entitled to compensatory time for all hours worked over 35 hours in

9

a week but no overtime pay. Contact your Human Resources Department to find out whether you are exempt or non-exempt. By agreement between the union and CUNY, when you are assigned to work more than 35 hours per week, you must receive written authorization from an administrator designated by the college president. Whenever possible, you should be given 48 hours’ notice. In emergency cases, when you are needed to work more than 35 hours, authorization should be put in writing as soon as possible by an administrator designated by the college president. Compensatory time is earned on a quarterly basis (every three months, beginning September 1). Compensatory time must be used within the quarter it was earned but no later than 30 days after the end of the quarter. You should submit a request to your supervisor indicating how many hours you worked and when you would like to use the compensatory time. Your supervisor must schedule the use of compensatory time in consultation with you and HR is supposed to provide you with quarterly statements indicating your compensatory time accrual and usage.

7. Annual Leaves, Holidays, Sick and Other Leaves | Annual Leave: HEOs hired after January 1, 1988, earn 15 days of leave the first year of service and 15 days plus an additional day during the second year of service and thereafter for each year of service, up to a maximum of 25 days. (Article 14.3a) The maximum accrual of annual leave for HEOs may not exceed 45 days as of August 31 of any year. (Article 14.9) A senior administrator may approve carry-overs of “excess leave.” Paid Holidays: HEO-series employees have 13 paid holidays a year. (Article 14.7) HEOs also receive four unscheduled paid holidays. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday that is not a regular work day, the University may designate the Friday before or the Monday after as the day off, or they may designate the holiday as an additional unscheduled holiday to be taken after the holiday for which it is substituted.

10

Temporary Disability Leave (Sick Leave): In the contract, “temporary disability leave” is the term used to define sick days for any temporary physical or mental incapacity, including pregnancy, complications of pregnancy and childbirth. HEO-series employees receive 20 days for “temporary disability” during each year of service. Unused days are cumulative up to a maximum of 160 days. (Article 16.2) Employees are permitted to use up to three days of accrued sick leave per year for the care of an ill family member. (Article 16.2b) If you are unable to perform your work duties for an extended period of time, consult a HEO Grievance Counselor. The contract states that the college can ask you for doctors documentation from a doctor if you have been on sick leave more than thirty consecutive workdays to prove that you are capable of returning to work. (Article 16.3(f)) In addition, CUNY policy states that you may be asked for medical documentation if you are on sick leave for five consecutive workdays. It has also been the practice for supervisors to ask for a doctor’s note if there is a pattern of absenteeism or suspected abuse of sick leave. You should consult with a HEO Grievance Counselor if you think you are being asked for medical documentation inappropriately. Dedicated Sick Leave Program: Employees may donate leave to colleagues who have exhausted their leave balances due to illness or physical incapacity. To receive dedicated sick leave, a full-time employee has to have been employed at least 2 years at CUNY and have an illness or injury requiring an absence of at least 30 continuous working days. Employees with fewer than 5 years of service may donate only annual leave. Employees with 5 years or more may also donate up to 10 sick leave days per year. Each day of sick leave donated is will be credited to the recipeint as ½ day. Each day of annual leave donated will be credited to the recipient as one full day. Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank: Unlike the dedicated sick leave program, under which you specify who should receive your donated leave, the Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank (CSLB) is a pool of sick leave and annual leave donated by colleagues for use as sick leave by any eligible full-time employee who is also a donor to the bank. To use days from the Catastrophic Sick Leave bank, employees must have donated at least 1 day of sick or annual leave for the program year in which leave is needed. Donating time to the CSLB allows an eligible employee to receive up to 90 days in any program year. Your HR Office can provide forms and explain rules for donation and use of leave.

11

Paid Parental Leave: HEO-series employees, who have a minimum of one year of service, are eligible for eight consecutive weeks of paid parental leave with full pay and benefits immediately upon the birth or adoption of a child of up to 5 years age. Unpaid leave of up to one year is available after the paid leave has concluded. (Article 16.10) Travia Leave: Employees who meet the requirements for retirement and who file the appropriate application will be granted a retirement leave of absence (Travia Leave) with full pay, consisting of one-half of their accumulated unused temporary disability leave, up to a maximum of one semester, or the equivalent number of school days, if the employee has the maximum accrual of 160 days of sick leave. Jury Duty: An employee who is required to serve on a jury, or is required to report to a court in response to a summons for jury duty, will receive his or her regular salary hours during such absences, provided that she/he provides to the University an amount equivalent to the compensation received. (Article 17)

8. Complaints and Grievances Initiated by an Employee | The preceding sections present some of the rights and protections provided by the PSC-CUNY contract. When your rights or contractual provisions are violated, Article 20 provides for an informal complaint procedure and a formal grievance procedure. Informal complaint: HEO-series employees have the right to present and discuss with their supervisor an informal complaint of improper, unfair, arbitrary or discriminatory treatment related to the terms and conditions of their employment. It is the employee’s choice to have a union representative present or not, but it is recommended that employees discuss their complaints with a HEO Grievance Counselor prior to presenting an informal complaint. Formal grievance: A formal grievance is defined as a breach, misinterpretation or improper application of the contract, or an arbitrary or discriminatory application of, or failure to act pursuant to, the By-Laws and written policies of the CUNY Board of Trustees related to terms and conditions of employment. A grievance must be filed by

12

an employee or the PSC within 30 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after the PSC or the employee became aware of the action that is the subject of the grievance. Grievances challenging a denial of reappointment must be filed within 30 days, excluding Saturdays Sundays and legal holidays of April 1 or May 1 depending on the date of initial appointment. A grievance may be filed by the union on an employee’s behalf or directly by a HEO-series employee on his/her own behalf. Employees are advised to consult a HEO Grievance Counselor before filing a grievance on their own behalf. Any grievance filed by an employee on his or her own behalf (in which the employee is not represented by the PSC) is the sole responsibility of the employee. For grievances where the employee is represented by the PSC, only the PSC has authority to determine if the grievance will ultimately be submitted to arbitration.

9. Disciplinary Actions and Termination Initiated by the College | Disciplinary proceedings initiated by the college: A college may take disciplinary action against a HEO if they believe there is “just cause.” Article 21 of the contract lays out the basis for the college to take this action and the steps that must be followed. Formal discipline may lead to loss of employment, suspension with or without pay, or any lesser form of discipline. If an employee receives a written notice of “Intent for Immediate Discharge,” he or she should contact the PSC Legal Department. Investigations that may lead to Disciplinary Action and Weingarten Rights: If you are called into a meeting by a supervisor or any management representative and told that you are being investigated based on a complaint that was made against you or to discuss anything else, it is important that you are aware of your “Weingarten Rights.” These rights under the Taylor Law allow you to have a union representative with you at any investigatory interview or meeting that may eventually lead to disciplinary action. This may also apply in situations where the member is not the subject of the investigation. The member may make the request before or during the meeting. Once you have invoked your Weingarten Rights, management must grant the request and delay the meeting until your representative arrives, or deny the request and end the meeting immediately. You may also reschedule the meeting so a union representative

13

can be present; the union representative can ask questions, state objections, take notes and advise the member. Termination: An employee with 13.3b status may be terminated after receiving three consecutive unsatisfactory evaluations in three successive fiscal years (July 1-June 30). An employee with 13.3b status may also be terminated after three successive years of receiving annual evaluations that indicate institutional reasons why the position is being eliminated. (Article 13.12a)

10. The “Non-promotional Series” – Movement within Title, Reclassification and Salary Differentials |

The HEO series is a “non-promotional” series, meaning that when HEOs reach the top salary step in the title, there is no established or automatic path to allow HEOs to move to the next HEO-series title. Over the years, the PSC has consistently fought to establish new ways for HEOs to be compensated for the work they do in the absence of promotional opportunities. Movement within Schedule, Reclassification and Salary Differentials provide different opportunities for HEOs to advance in salary and/or title. We won significant changes to the Reclassification process and the creation of Salary Differentials in the current contract. For instructions and details go to the HEO Rights and Benefits page: http://www.psc-cuny.org/rights/heo-rights-and-benefits Movement Within Title: A supervisor may request up to two additional movements in the salary schedule (“steps”) in the same title, based on excellence in performance or increased responsibility, subject to the approval of the Board. (Article 22.5) Reclassification: Although HEOs cannot be “promoted,” they can be reclassified to a higher HEO contract title if their job has substantially changed and they believe that they are now working under the incorrect title. According to the University’s Code of Practice for HEOs (section 2.3): “The criterion for reclassification approval is that the preponderance of duties and job requirements currently fall appropriately in the higher HEO title. This change in classification may be merited because of an accretion of duties, a significant increase in the volume of work that has the effect of transforming the scope and complexity of the work [this addition was a hard fought gain in the 2010-

14

2017 contract], a reorganization of functions, a legal mandate changing the nature of the work, or some other significant alteration in the duties previously assigned.” An employee who believes that he or she is qualified to receive a reclassification should ask his or her supervisor to file a request. If the supervisor does not file the request, the employee may self-nominate to the College HEO (Screening) Committee. If the HEO Committee decides that the request for reclassification has merit, it will be sent as a recommendation to the college president, who, if in agreement, will submit the request to CUNY for final approval. If you have 13.3b and have been reclassified but after one year you are non-reappointed, the college must offer you your previous position or a comparable one in the lower title. In the past, a HEO Associate could not be reclassified to full HEO if the office already employed another full HEO. As of 2016 this is no longer the case; offices now may employ more than one full HEO. HEOs cannot file a grievance because they have been denied reclassification, but a HEO who has been unsuccessful may contact a HEO Grievance Counselor to discuss the appropriateness of filing a workload review or an out-of-title grievance against his or her college. Salary Differentials: Differentials are amounts that are added to an employee’s base pay for as long as the employee remains in the title. We currently have two types of salary differentials for HEOs. In the 2010-17 contract, the PSC won a major structural change that now provides for a salary differential for Assistants to HEO, HEO Assistants or HEO Associates who have completed one or more years of service at the top salary step in their respective salary schedules. They are eligible for an “assignment differential” of $2,500, to be added to their annual base salary, based upon “excellence in performance or increased responsibilities within the title.” Eligible employees may be nominated by their supervisors or may nominate themselves. The HEO Labor Management Committee (see section 11) performs the initial review of applications for this differential. Positive recommendations from the HEO Labor Management Committee are forwarded to the College HEO (Screening) Committee; positive recommendations from the College HEO Committee are then be forwarded to the President for final approval. HEOs considering applying for the salary assignment

15

differential should review the instructions on the PSC website where the application form can also be found. [http://www.psc-cuny.org/rights/heo-rights-and-benefits] Advanced Degree Salary Differential: Assistants to HEO (aHEOs) who hold a master’s degree from an accredited university in a field related to their work will receive an annual salary differential of $1,000. aHEOs who hold a doctorate in a job-related field from an accredited university will receive an annual salary differential of $2,500. Eligible aHEOs should contact their college HR office to request the differential, providing documentation of the degree plus a statement of its relevance to their job. The advanced degree differential does not require an application to the HEO Labor Management Committee.

11. HEO Labor Management Committee |

Each college must have a HEO Labor Management Committee composed of three HEOs appointed by the PSC and three appointed by the college president. The committee chair will alternate annually between the PSC and CUNY. The committee makes non-binding recommendations to the president concerning workload. The committee also makes recommendations to the College HEO (Screening) Committee on awarding salary assignment differentials. (See section 10)

12. Contractual and Other Rights and Benefits |

Tuition Waivers: HEO-series employees are eligible for a waiver of tuition fees for undergraduate credit-bearing courses offered by the City University during the Fall and Spring semesters. Summer session is not included. They are also eligible for a waiver of up to six credits per semester of graduate tuition during the Fall and Spring semesters. Summer session is not included. (Article 29) Occupational Safety and Health: Under Article 39 of the PSC-CUNY contract, “The City University shall furnish to each of its employees who is covered by this agreement a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious harm to its employees and shall comply with

16

occupational safety and health standards promulgated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.”

Professional Development: The PSC negotiated a Professional Development Fund to provide financial support (up to $3,000 per year) for HEOs to enhance their professional skills, conduct research and attend professional conferences. (Article 33.5) The application and guidelines are available on the PSC website: http://www.psc-cuny.org/benefits/heo-clt-professional-development-fund HEO-series employees are also eligible to apply for PSC-CUNY Research Awards, under Article 25.2 of the contract. http://www.psc-cuny.org/benefits/psc-cuny-grants Bereavement leave: Up to 4 days for a death in the immediate family is guaranteed by the 2010-17 contract. Phased Retirement: HEOs may apply to “phase” into retirement by reducing their work schedule during the year or half-year just prior to retirement. If approved, HEOs will work 80% of their normal work week schedule, and receive 80% of their salary and leave. They must be 65 years old, have served full-time for 15 continuous years, and participate in the Optional Retirement Plan (TIAA) to be eligible. Retiree Health Insurance: Full-time instructional staff members who are members of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) or the Optional Retirement Program (ORP)—TIAA—are eligible to receive NYC retiree health insurance if they meet certain criteria:

� TRS members must have 10 years of total credited service, be over the age of 55 and retire on a full-time line.

� TIAA members who joined CUNY on or after September 1, 1985, and separate or retire from CUNY on or after age 62 must have 15 years of pensionable, continuous, full-time CUNY service. *Note: If you are in TIAA and joined CUNY before September 1, 1985, contact the PSC coordinator of pension and health benefits for eligibility information.

Both TRS and TIAA members who are eligible for retiree health insurance will continue to be eligible to receive their basic PSC/CUNY Welfare Fund benefits (optical, hearing,

17

dental, prescription drugs, and extended Medicare for GHI CBP participants) in retirement. Full-time instructional staff members who meet the above retiree health insurance eligibility requirements will have Medicare as their primary insurance once they reach age 65 or upon retirement, if they retire later than age 65, but still can receive NYC retiree health insurance as secondary insurance and PSC/CUNY Welfare Fund benefits. Review this link to understand the relationship between Medicare and other health benefits available to you: http://psc-cuny.org/sites/default/files/CUNY-RETIREE-HEALTH-INFORMATION-FOR-FT-STAFF.pdf Also, Medicare-eligible retirees and their spouses/domestic partners receiving NYC retiree health insurance can apply for annual Medicare Part B reimbursements: http://psc-cuny.org/clarion/march-2017/union-won-refund-medicare-part-b If you are five years or less from retirement, call the union to schedule a meeting with PSC’s coordinator of pension and health benefits to review your retirement benefits. Transit Benefit: HEOs can set aside up to $255 of their monthly pay for commutation (public transit; sometimes parking also) through a pre-tax deduction from each paycheck, reducing their earnings subject to tax. http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/hr/benefits/transit-benefit/ Other PSC and Affiliate Benefits: The PSC and its affiliates (NYSIUT and the AFT) have arranged for a variety of special economic benefits for PSC members, which can be accessed through the PSC website at www.psc-cuny.org/benefits and at www.memberbenefits.nysut.org and at http://www.aft.org/benefits. The University’s Summary of Benefits: On CUNY’s website, there are links to detailed descriptions of benefits, including health benefits, retirement and pension programs, and flexible spending account programs: http://bit.ly/2ocx9xp

The Welfare Fund: While your health insurance benefit is administered through CUNY and NYC Employee Benefits Program, the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund administers

18

supplemental benefits, including dental, vision, prescription drug and basic disability benefits. The Welfare Fund can be reached at 212-354-5230 or www.psccunywf.org

……………………

The PSC HEO Rights and Benefits page contains links and info for HEOs: http://www.psc-cuny.org/rights/heo-rights-and-benefits The 2007-2010 PSC-CUNY contract is available on the PSC website: http://www.psc-cuny.org/contract/psc-cuny-contract The Memorandum of Agreement for the 2010-2017 contract: http://www.psc-cuny.org/sites/default/files/MOA_2010-2017.pdf The 2010-2017 HEO salary schedules: http://www.psc-cuny.org/sites/default/files/HEOSalarySchedule.pdf The PSC web page enumerating legal rights for CUNY employees: http://www.psc-cuny.org/rights/rights-under-law The University’s Office of Human Resource Management offers a lengthy document called “Code of Practice” for HEOs that contains many of the rules that apply to HEO employment. Currently it is here: http://bit.ly/2pZwKuS

……………………

The HEO chapter would like to thank the following individuals for contributions to this handbook:

Deborah Bell Debra Bergen

Bob Nelson Anh Tran

Andrea Vásquez Jean Weisman

19

NOTES

NOTES